KING'S LYNN AND
CASTLE RISING

Em arose from a little settlement of Fenmen existing pre-
cariously at the mouth of the Ouse. From this it developed
into £ the medieval Liverpool of the east coast', a city of mer-
chant princes who entertained kings royally with banquets of
peacocks. Its early name was Lynn Episcopi, and three
bishops played an important part in its growth, Herbert de
Losinga, the vigorous first bishop of Norwich, built St.
Margaret's Church; Bishop Turbus in the twelfth century
reclaimed land for a Priory, raised an earthwork round the
town and established a mill and a market; Bishop Grey
obtained a charter from King John by whichc Lenne Episcopi'
became a free borough. In actual fact Lynn had a hard
struggle before its municipal freedom was safe fronrthe inter-
ference of the Bishops of Norwich,

King John is associated with Lynn in more ways than the
grant of his charter. Tradition has given the name ofc King
John's cup' to on^ of Lynn's greatest treasures. In the opinion
of experts, however, this lovely gold and enamel cup belongs to
the fourteenth century and was probably the property of
Duke John of Brittany, who owned Castle Rising at that time.
Even the sword which John is said to have presented, taking it

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